SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — Max Verstappen ordered a journalist to “get out” of a scheduled media session at Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday after objecting to a question he asked last year.
“I’m not speaking before he’s leaving,” Verstappen said, indicating reporter Giles Richards of British newspaper The Guardian, as the question-and-answer session was due to begin in Red Bull’s hospitality area.
Richards approached the table where Verstappen was sitting and tried to plead his case. Verstappen told him to “get out” and Richards left.
Verstappen indicated he objected to a question Richards asked in December after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Richards asked Verstappen whether losing out to Lando Norris by two points for the title might lead him to regret an incident earlier in the year when he collided with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix. That earned Verstappen a time penalty which cost the Dutch driver valuable points.
“You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season. The only thing you mention is Barcelona. I knew that would come,” Verstappen answered.
“You’re giving me a stupid grin now. I don’t know. Yeah, it’s part of racing at the end. You live and learn. The championship is one of 24 rounds. I’ve also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me in the second half, so you can also question that.”
Richards wrote in a column for The Guardian on Thursday that he was “deeply disappointed” by what happened and questioned whether Verstappen “was simply enjoying the power dynamic?”
“I still admire Verstappen and I hope we can enjoy a better relationship in the future. Sometimes, difficult, awkward questions have to be asked. That’s the job that comes with the privilege,” Richards added.
Four-time champion Verstappen heads into Sunday’s race at Suzuka, the third of the season, after a difficult start to the year.
He and Red Bull have so far been unable to match the pace of leading team Mercedes and Verstappen has made clear his dislike of F1’s new era of regulations, which place more emphasis on electrical power.
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